DSO Approved Auditor
We are Approved Auditors by DSO.
DSO Approved Auditors for Dubai Silicon Oasis Companies
Farahat & Co. is a registered auditor for Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), authorised to conduct statutory audits for companies licensed in the free zone.
Established in 2004 and formalised under Law No. 16 of 2005, DSO is a technology-focused free zone now regulated under the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), home to more than 40,000 registered company members across IT, engineering, manufacturing and professional services.
Every DSO-licensed company must prepare IFRS-compliant financial statements and have them audited annually by a DSO-approved auditor.
Book a DSO Audit ConsultationServices We Offer as DSO Approved Auditors in UAE
As approved auditors in Dubai Silicon Oasis, we provide specialised financial and compliance services for technology and innovation-driven businesses in the DSO free zone. Our experts ensure your company meets all DSO Authority requirements.
DSO Audit Requirements and Regulations
Legal basis
Dubai Silicon Oasis was established under Law No. 16 of 2005. Audit and financial reporting requirements are now set out under the DIEZ Implementing Regulations 2023, issued by the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, which oversees DSO alongside Dubai CommerCity. Every company licensed in DSO must maintain accounting records consistent with IFRS, have its annual financial statements independently audited, and appoint an audit firm registered with the Authority. DSO also requires companies to rotate their appointed audit firm every four years to preserve auditor independence.
Who must comply
The audit requirement applies to all companies licensed by the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, including technology firms, consultancies, manufacturers and holding companies, regardless of size or annual turnover. There is no exemption for new or low-activity companies; a company’s first audit period is determined by its incorporation date and the financial year set out in its Memorandum of Association. The auditor must also confirm that the company has not carried out any activity beyond what its trade licence permits.
Penalties for non-compliance
Failure to submit audited financial statements within the required period can result in administrative penalties and delays to trade licence renewal. Since the audit is a precondition for licence renewal, prolonged non-compliance can escalate to licence suspension. Given DSO’s concentration of technology and IP-holding companies, an incomplete or poorly timed audit can also complicate a company’s UAE Corporate Tax filing, including its Qualifying Free Zone Person position on qualifying income.
Audit Process, Deadline and Documents Required
Filing deadline and submission process
Audited financial statements must be submitted to the DSO Authority within four months of the end of the company’s financial year. For a company with a 31 December year-end, this places the deadline at 30 April. Given the volume of technology and professional services companies with intercompany arrangements and IP licensing structures registered in DSO, starting the audit two to three months ahead of the deadline is advisable, rather than waiting until the filing date approaches.
Step-by-step audit process
- Maintain financial records — keep ledgers, invoices, bank statements and VAT records throughout the year.
- Prepare IFRS-compliant financial statements — balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and supporting notes.
- Appoint a DSO-registered approved auditor — confirm the firm’s current registration, and check whether mandatory four-year rotation applies if the same firm has audited the company previously.
- Complete the audit — the auditor verifies that company activity matches the trade licence and reviews VAT and AML/CFT compliance alongside the financial statements.
- Submit the audited financial statements to the DSO Authority within four months of the financial year-end.
Documents required
Trade licence, Memorandum and Articles of Association, bank statements, credit and debit notes, complete books of accounts and trial balance, sales and purchase invoices, VAT registration certificate and returns where applicable, payroll records, fixed asset register, and any other document the Authority or auditor considers necessary.
Why Choose Farahat & Co. as Your DSO-Approved Auditor
Farahat & Co. is a registered auditor for Dubai Silicon Oasis and has supported technology, engineering and professional services companies within the free zone. Given DSO’s concentration of companies holding intellectual property, software licences and intercompany service arrangements, our audit approach pays particular attention to revenue recognition and related-party transactions, areas that frequently raise questions during UAE Corporate Tax review.
Beyond DSO, Farahat & Co. holds approvals across more than 20 UAE free zones, including DMCC, JAFZA and DIFC, giving groups with multiple UAE entities a single audit partner. Since DSO requires audit firm rotation every four years, we also help clients plan ahead for that transition, so a change of auditor never coincides with a compliance deadline.
About DSO: Free Zone Profile
Dubai Silicon Oasis was established in 2004 and formalised under Law No. 16 of 2005 to develop a technology-focused business and residential community in Dubai. Spanning around 7 square kilometres, DSO combines commercial, industrial and residential space and is now regulated under the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), which also oversees Dubai CommerCity. The free zone is home to more than 40,000 registered company members and over 100,000 residents and professionals, spanning IT, electronics, aerospace, automotive and professional services.
DSO’s technology focus means many of its licensed companies hold intellectual property, operate under intercompany service arrangements, or provide software and engineering services, which brings specific accounting considerations around revenue recognition and transfer pricing into most audits conducted in the zone.